Original Crisis 2: Gary's Awakening
by The Tyrant Hamster
Summary: A past terror resurfaces in a new form, threatening the Devil May Cry fandom one last time...
1. All's Sweet In Love And War

_The unanticipated sequel to my generally well-received first published fanfic, Original Crisis, which anyone is welcome to check out. It__'__s full of signs of my inexperience at the time of writing, but I__'__m still fond of it. Zone is mine, Arson/Reiko/Hade belong to bustahead, Keahi is Lori's, and everyone else belongs to Capcom. Most importantly, enjoy :D._

----

_Two decades ago, there was a war between the canon characters and the other, the Mary Sue._

_But three original characters woke up to Justice and stood up against this threat together._

_They were a devil-angel hybrid, a vampire, and a hamster. Later they quietly remained in the fandom and continued to aid the canon characters in their small ways._

_They did not become legends, for they fought to preserve the way of things, not for change._

----

Lightning illuminated a slummy, gritty downtown street. The flash passed, leaving the muddy glow coming from a few buildings and the light of the baleful moon. Suddenly a woman fell from that moon, blonde hair trailing as she landed in a crouch. Standing, she turned to look at the only building that had all its lights on.

When no phone ring pierced the air, Trish realised she was slightly early, and took out a mirror to check her complexion. It was a cold night, and not for the first time she cursed the outfit Mundus made her wear. _Who_ dresses a clone of their arch-enemy's dead wife like a prostitute with a leather gimmick, she thought bitterly.

She was thusly occupied when she saw a flicker of movement in the mirror. Spinning around, Trish relaxed, "Dante? Why are you out here?" she chided. She knew he got bored of doing the opening over and over, but regardless, they had a job to do. "Dante?" she repeated, and then her smile slowly faded, "you're not Dante".

----

Inside, a phone rang, and was picked up, "Devil May Cry". The answerer listened to the caller. "Sorry we're closed at night" he lied, then hung up. "Again, no password. Can't seem to get any real business" he said out loud for the benefit of any potential observers who may have mistaken his suave coolness for simple apathy.

Suddenly, his front doors exploded inwards. "Whoa, slow down babe" Dante began. However, as the debris cleared he realised it wasn't who he was expecting. "You're not Trish" he said, standing up. Once he saw the visitor clearly, he stopped. "_Father_?" he gasped, and then, ahead of the script, he was impaled with a sword.

----

An hour later, another figure approached Devil May Cry. Three important facts about this person: one, his name was Reiko, two, he was a vampire, and three, he carried a mop, broom and bag of cleaning products.

Wearing a long coat, jeans and shirt (all black), with medium, draping (also) black hair that contrasted with his pale skin, Reiko was a vampire with a purpose. Specifically, to tackle the formidable (and long-overdue) task of cleaning the Devil May Cry offices. Also, something had lifted the spirits of the melancholy soul, as he was to be assisted by a friend of his named Keahi, for whom he had feelings that went beyond friendship.

Reaching the curiously intact doors, he opened them.

Having known it would be a shocking sight, Reiko had avoided setting eyes on the office until he closed the door and braced himself for it. Turning around, despite his mental preparation, what he saw surprised him so much, he dropped his mop. It wasn't the mess that did it, frightening though it was. It was seeing Dante pinned to the back wall by pretty much every one of his swords, turning him into a half-human pincushion.

Rushing over, Reiko gripped a sword and yanked it free. Diligently he removed them, the wounds healing in their wake. Finally unpinned, Dante slumped against the wall. Normally impalement didn't concern him, but run through with twenty large blades he'd been immobilized and unable to remove them, thus unable to heal.

"Are you alright?" Reiko asked, offering Dante a hand, "What transpired here? No common demon could have done that to _you_".

"I'm fine..." Dante said, rising unassisted as his superhuman stamina recovered from his injuries. His already troubled expression darkened, "It wasn't a demon. It was something far more dangerous and evil. Gary Stu".

"_Gary Stu_..." Reiko did a remarkable Solid Snake impression. Memories of a past nightmare filled his mind.

Dante nodded grimly, picking up Ebony and Ivory from the floor. "He took Force Edge and the Amulet" he said, fingers grasping at the emptiness over his chest where his mother's gift usually resided, fire in his eyes, "he's heading for Mallet Island, I'm going after him".

Reiko saw the resolve on Dante's face, and knew there was no arguing with him. "I shall come, if I may. If I can assist in any way it will be worth it" he offered selflessly. Dante turned to look at the vampire. He didn't want to put anyone in danger, and Reiko wasn't close to his own power. Still, the entire fandom now faced a threat that could destroy it, and had beaten him effortlessly; he needed _all_ the help he could get. He nodded.

Reiko gave a small, thankful smile, and then had an idea. "I may be able to gain us some further support" he said, and reaching into a pocket he withdrew a phone.

They went outside, Reiko making another call as they waited. A few minutes later, someone came running down the street. As it approached, they saw it was a boy in his late teens with shoulder-length auburn hair, wearing a black jacket over a red top and dark jeans. Reiko smiled, and then frowned as they came closer.

"Arson, thank you for coming" he began, making the devil-angel hybrid smile, "but what is _he_ doing here?".

The vampire was referring to the being on Arson's shoulder. It was, to be candid, a hamster, six inches from head to short tail, tan-and-white-furred, and smirking.

Arson shuffled he feet shyly. "Well... He was visiting and we were playing, when you called..." he muttered.

"What he means I was owning him with Zasalamel, and this was an excuse to chicken out" the rodent cut in.

"Nuh-uh, Zone!" Arson retorted, "You were only two rounds up, me and Cervantes would've caught up, cus he's a pirate and _nothing_ is awesomer than pirates!".

"_Guys_" Reiko cut in swiftly, forestalling a potential argument, "firstly, Arson, did you bring our weapons?".

Arson nodded, and threw Reiko his staff, then revealed the handles of his own swords, strapped to his waist.

"Excellent" Reiko said, catching his weapon. "Zone" he began, looking at the grinning furball. He had seen the rodent prove himself, but still, "This one will be _extremely _dangerous, are you sure you want to come?".

"An adventure with you guys, danger and adversity? Sounds like _fun_ to me" Zone replied, smirk unfaltering.

"Very well, it is your decision" Reiko said. After all, they _could_ use all the help they could get. "Thank you" the vampire added, Zone giving a nod, then turning to Dante, he said "we follow your lead". Thus it began...

----

The first obstacle they faced was deceptively simple. It was a wall. Reiko tapped on it; it was unmistakably solid. He looked back at the path they had taken along the cliff edges of Mallet Island, straight to this wall.

"I think the architects were a few fragments short of a Blue Orb" Zone said, twirling a paw besides his head.

"There is normally a hole here. After you pass through it seals up behind you. Gary must have already come through and triggered it" supplied exposition!Reiko.

"How did we even _get_ here?" Arson asked curiously.

"You know" Dante said, looking unusually thoughtful, "I'm not sure. There's a cut scene, with a view flying over the ocean towards the island, but I have _no idea_ how we cross it..." he rubbed his chin contemplatively.

"We can climb the cliffs" Reiko tried to keep the group focused. "Splitting up will save time, one of us with Dante, the others together" he recommend, then turned to Dante, "I would be honoured to accompany you".

"Aww, I wanna go with grandpa" Arson whined, earning a uneasy look from Dante.

"Yeah" Zone chipped in, "who made you protagonist's pet?".

Reiko sighed. There was only one way to settle matters at times like this. "_Alright_. But can we decide this in a civilised manner?" he implored. The others agreed, and so they gathered together, knelt down (for Zone's benefit), and proceeded to paper-scissors-stone it out. Dante watched this display without verbal comment.

After a few two or three-way ties, a victor emerged. "Yes, haha! I get to go with Dante, this is so awesome!" Zone cheered, doing a victory dance. Reiko and Arson sighed, the former giving Dante an apologetic shrug.

----

Once on the castle's roofs the two groups split up. Dante leapt from a turret overlooking a courtyard to a stone path. He put down Zone, who couldn't make the jump himself, and had somewhat self-consciously asked him for a lift, and they were about to move on when the rodent spotted something, "What's that?".

Dante turned; there was something on the path behind them. He walked over to it, Zone hurrying after him. Kneeling, he picked it up; it was a mask-like helmet, with two twisted, down-turned horns on the forehead.

"Well?" Zone asked curiously. When no reply came, he walked around Dante to see for himself, "Oh. _Shit_".

Dante stood, wearing a grim expression. "We have to hurry" he said, dropping Nelo Angelo's helmet with a clunk. Even the smart-assed Zone could tell now wasn't a good time to share his opinion, and glancing back at the vacant expression of the helmet, he followed Dante. They dropped through a hole to a balcony below, gaining entry through some doors that led into a bedroom.

----

Meanwhile, Arson and Reiko headed for another part of the castle. The vampire traversed a large, rounded window in the ceiling of a cathedral. They were making good time, and Reiko dared a minimal smile. It had barely crossed his face when the hairs stood up on the back of his neck, and he spun around, weapon raised.

"Arson!" he barked upon seeing the cause of the sensation.

Arson was stood there, looking confused and guilty, frozen in the middle of cuddling a big red balloon. His hair looked like it was trying to eat it, indicating a huge level of static. "Yes, Reiko sir?" he muttered shyly.

Reiko bit back harsh words, maintaining his patience. "Where did you get, _that_?" he gestured to the balloon.

Arson held it up proudly, "There was this dispenser selling them in the toilets of that cafe we ate at! They're not too flexible, I had to blow on it _really hard_ to get it this big, and an old lady gave me a funny look when she saw the packet. I think she was jealous cus her lungs aren't good enough to inflate the extra large ones".

Reiko's face fell. "Uh, Arson, those are not... _Normal_ balloons" he said, wondering how to tell the teenager.

"Oh, I know!" Arson gave an energetic nod. "This one is strawberry flavour too!" and with that, he licked it.

Reiko gave up. "Just, don't rub it too much" he implored, turning around. He took one step, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. "_Arson_..." he groaned.

----

Dante and Zone entered a large open-topped room with a fountain filling the centre. Dante walked through the shallow water while Zone went around, as his stature meant he would get soaked. They exited at the far end, Dante waiting for Zone before closing the doors. Turning around, he came up short as something flew past his face."Wow!" Zone yelped, jumping aside as a dagger ricocheted from where he had been standing. They looked up the hall to see a shambling horde of shabbily-dressed, life-sized, knife-armed mannequins.

"Finally, some action" Dante said, rolling his shoulders.

"About time" Zone agreed, drawing his weapons, a laser gun and a miniature lightsabre.

Dante glanced down at him curiously, "Where were you keeping those?".

"Same place you keep Rebellion, Nevan, Spiral and Kalina Ann at the same time" Zone replied with a grin.

Dante chuckled. "Touché" he said, and drawing Ebony and Ivory, spun them in his hands and aimed them at the possessed Marionette horde, "anyway, let's rock".

"I get to battle alongside Dante in the debut action scene, _kick-ass_" Zone said to himself, grinning excitedly.

Dante opened fire, leaping into the fray guns blazing, while Zone noticed a straggler separate from the rest and ran towards it. The Marionette didn't notice him at first, but when he leapt and drove his red lightsabre into the possessed puppet's side, he got its attention. It tried to slash him off with its knife, but the hamster kicked off its body and back-flipped, evading the blow and severing the puppet's hand, then caught hold of the stump and scurried up its arm, sabre in mouth. The puppet lashed out with its remaining blade, and Zone leapt over the stab and at the thing's head, sailing past and slashing a huge gouge across its features, landing on its shoulder. He kept on dodging and dismembering, finally abseiling down the dummy's face, dragging his blade through it before dropping to the floor. "One down" he breathed excitedly, wearing an eager grin.

Dante was having just as much fun. The remains of several puppets littered his path, and he moved forwards to face the next wave. Stepping in-between two Marionettes he fired to either side simultaneously, knocking them both back, then drove his boot into a third, pinning it to the wall and pumping both pistols into its face before releasing it and kicking it into one of its friends. As another lunged at him from behind Dante flipped backwards over the blow, unleashing a storm of bullets while upside-down, cutting it down in a rain of lead.

Finding himself on the other side of the mob, the devil hunter ran to the far end of the corridor. Before him, a heavy sword impaled the stone carving of a woman, and an ominous voice reverberated through his mind.

"I am Alastor.

The weak shall give their heart and swear their eternal loyalty to me."

With that, the sword crackled with electricity, burst from the stone, spun lethally through the air... And was caught by Dante's outstretched hand. "No time for that Alastor" He said. He heard the sword telepathically grumble something about no-good, unappreciative-cut-scene-skippers, but otherwise it complied with him.

Zone, by now, had his paws full. He fired his laser gun at one puppet, the crimson blast stunning the demon, but failing to kill it. "Die already!" Zone yelled, continuing to shoot until it collapsed into a pile of kindling.

Glancing at his laser, the hamster cursed. These demons soaked up much more punishment than the Hells he was used to, and he had already spent a quarter of his gun's reserves. At this rate he was going to deplete his main weapon's power supply _way_ too soon.

Seeing an opportunity he used a burst of laser to propel himself towards a red-shirted mannequin. Zone flew at its face, then had to bring his weapon up rapidly as it intercepted him with its blades. His lightsabre saved the rodent from being split in two, but he was still thrown away dizzyingly. Landing hard, Zone rolled to the side a split-second later as a blade struck the ground, barely missing him. The puppet bore down on him, the hamster desperately raising his laser gun and unleashing a massive blast of energy, annihilating it for a hefty price. He had barely risen before two more loomed from behind him. He stalled one with a controlled burst, but didn't have time to stop the other as it slashed at him. The deadly edge descended, then was consumed in a storm of electricity, charged bullets ripping into the weapon and its wielder, knocking them crashing back.

Zone looked up in time to see Dante slay the last few puppets with Alastor. "You OK?" he asked the rodent.

"Yeah, thanks" Zone nodded. He got up, dizzy and sore, but not seriously injured. He actually had one Blue Orb, and the hamster was so little it could heal him even if he was cut in half. Still, he didn't want to lose his _sole_ safeguard against dying, so he was being sincere.

----

Arson looked at the balloon, which he was holding at arm's length. He was about to say it wasn't him, when there was a loud crash from above and behind him. Turning around, he looked up as small pieces of rubble fell from the wall behind him. One hit his over-inflated balloon, popping it. "Mr. Bubble?" he whimpered.

Reiko turned around at the noise too, and felt sweat prickling his brow. A second later, two _giant_ mandibles appeared over the edge of the wall Arson was standing by. A massive cross between a scorpion and a spider with a body of stone and lava leapt into view, crashing down between them, "Bah, just a pair of morsels, but I've got nothing else to play with" it grumbled irately.

"_Phantom_..." Reiko gaped, recognising the mighty demon. Before he could even begin formulating a plan to combat it, he saw Arson running towards it, "Arson!".

The hybrid charged at the monstrous demon, bringing both swords down with tremendous force. The dual blades descended, and rung harmlessly off the thick armour of the Phantom's hide. The demon turned and roared, an inferno building in its mouth then erupting forth, straight into the hybrid. "_Arson_!" Reiko called.

When the smoke cleared, Arson was standing, arms covering his front but still visibly shaken. "Spitting is rude!" Arson yelled, "you're a, a... A _discourteous __host_!" he condemned, and lunged forwards once more, bringing his blades down on Phantom's head. The blow stung, and Phantom recoiled slightly, but nothing more, and he smashed Arson into a wall with a claw.

Reiko descended from above, stabbing his staff down into the Phantom's back. The blow barely registered, and the vampire felt his weapon rapidly heating up from the creature's molten blood, forcing him to retreat before he had to abandon it. Phantom paused, then jerked, and a huge ball of magma erupted from its back, followed by many more. Reiko leapt forwards into a roll as the first one exploded just behind him. Looking around, he saw Arson getting up, yelling PG-rated abuse. "Arson, that won't d-" he started, but then paused, glancing behind him as he ran across the glass window, which was being damaged by the fireballs that hit it. "_That__'__s it_, Arson, taunt him on the glass!" he shouted.

Arson nodded, and ran onto the window. He turned around, bent over, yanked down his pants, and smacked himself. "Hey, bug-ugly! Come get some!" he invited.

"You puny pathetic thing, I'll crush you like an ant!" Phantom recycled game script threateningly, and then leapt high into the air. Arson continued to mock him as he came crashing down, and then dived aside at the last second as Phantom smashed onto then through the skylight. Tumbling town, he was impaled by a large spike on some architecture beneath. "No, the Legendary Sparda, it can't be!" he wailed, writhing in agony.

"You're right!" Arson called, hanging onto the edge of the new hole in the roof. "I'm his, uh" he paused and counted on his fingers, "Great-Grandson!". With that Phantom died, his last vision on Earth Arson's behind.

Reiko helped Arson up, and while as the hybrid did up his pants, he surveyed the aftermath. "Big and dumb, how cliché" he muttered under his breath. After ensuring neither of them were badly injured they moved on.

----

The four reunited shortly after, Reiko waiting for Dante and Zone by the castle's gate, then calling Arson on his phone. The hybrid, having already used the device that lowered the drawbridge, released the lever that kept the portcullis raised, the water-based mechanism letting the gate slowly fall, but Arson raced through the castle and got under before it closed. "Any problems?" Zone asked once they were all on the other side.

"Nothing we couldn't handle..." Arson said, grinning.

"What about you, any trouble?" the vampire inquired.

"Nothing we couldn't handle" Dante smirked. "But, there was something" he added, "Mundus' statue was missing from the main hall". Reiko felt a shiver run up his spine. He couldn't even _guess_ what implications that had. On an unspoken agreement to hurry, they proceeded out of the castle's main gate to Mallet Island.


	2. The Showtime Must Go On

A cloudy, rust-shaded sky hung over the unlikely quartet as they traversed the drawbridge. No sooner had they reached the other side than with the grinding of massive chains, it rose back up. Arson titled his head quizzically. "Do they use motion sensors for that?" he wondered out loud, scratching the side of his head.

"I don't see any trip lasers" Zone lent his technical expertise. "Hey, race you to the next door" he said to the hybrid, running ahead before Arson could even reply.

"Hey, unfair head start!" Arson yelled, chasing after him.

Dante and Reiko watched them. "_Those two_ helped you save the fandom?" the devil hunter double-checked.

Reiko looked from the son of Sparda to his friends. "Not only helped" he replied, "they each did as much as me". Dante shrugged, accepting this. "Why do you think Gary Stu came here?" Reiko asked as they walked.

"Whatever he came here for he's either trying to take over or destroy the fandom, the typical villain's world domination dream" Dante replied. "In order to do that he's probably after the greatest power in this world" Nelo Angelo's helmet drifted through Dante's thoughts, "that's why he took my Amulet, and Force Edge".

Reiko faltered in his step, "You don't mean...".

Dante glanced back, giving a nod, "My father's power".

They continued on, finding Zone waiting by the next set of doors. "Where is Arson?" the vampire inquired.

"Oh, he went through" Zone gestured to the doorway.

Images of the barriers of screaming faces that often sealed exits, trapping people in an area until either all of the demons in it or they were dead, filled Reiko's mind. "So why are you on _this_ side?!" he asked worriedly.

Zone looked at the doors, each easily a hundred times his mass, then at Reiko. "_Cus_ of the doors" he tried to hide his embarrassment with a _well-duh_ tone of voice.

"Ah, right" Reiko responded awkwardly. Offering an apologetic look to the rodent, he opened the doors and they went through. Arson was on the other side, fine, but what he was staring at was slightly more worrying.

Before them was a courtyard, flanked on the left by rocky cliffs and the right and far end by ancient stone buildings. In the middle of this, a full-sized pirate ship had evidently been driven into the ground, its back end smashed into the earth so the debris supported the rest of it pointing skywards. Lastly a huge demonic bird, who the group knew to be Griffon, had been crudely but effectively impaled on the front of the ship.

"Someone only _just_ got past the Midgar Zolom" Zone remarked. Having no alternative course of action they proceeded, Arson rushing to see the pirate ship up close. He slowed down when the ground started to shake.

"Watch out!" in a heartbeat Reiko tackled Arson clear as a man-sized, humanoid lizard burst from the earth. More explosions of dirt heralded the arrival of its friends, while even _further_ Blades emerged from the ship.

Arson reached for his swords, but as he did so Dante stepped alongside Reiko, drawing Alastor. "We'll deal with these, you find a way into the coliseum" he said.

Arson hesitated for a split-second, but then nodded. "OK gramps!" he said cheerfully, making Dante roll his eyes to himself as the hybrid headed off towards the imposing structure to their right, Zone following along.

Reiko watched them go, then turned his attention to worrying about himself. A large group of Blades like this would be a handful for all three of them normally, and even if this was no trouble for the devil hunter, he wasn't going to baby-sit Reiko through the fight. "It's showtime" Dante remarked, twirling Alastor and charging fearlessly towards the demons. The first Blade to leap at him was smashed aside with a lightning-fast slash, the strength of the blow splitting the bronze helmet it wore in half in place of the creature's skull.

At the same time, a couple of Blades singled out Reiko as the weaker target, and charged towards him. The vampire held his ground, and as the first barrelled into him he shifted his stance, using its inertia to pirouette himself on the spot, letting it sail by and thrusting a kick into its back, sending it skidding across the dirt. He completed his rotation just in time to meet the second demon. Using his superior range, he brought one end of his weapon up into its jaw, staggering the beast. Pressing on, the vampire spun his staff, delivering rising impacts with alternating ends of his weapon to its chest and head, seeking to topple it. He landed a few hits before the agile demon unexpectedly recovered its balance, slashing at him with his claws. Reiko managed to intercept the brunt of the blow with his staff and arm, although the savage claw still scored a flesh wound in his side. Pushing the Blade backwards, he swung his staff up into its jaw again, then reversed its direction to bring the other end crashing down onto its head, alternating tactics to make his moves difficult to predict.

Dante had already slaughtered a few Blades by now, and was just yanking Alastor out of the chest of one he had impaled but a moment earlier. He pulled it free with a flourish, which became a parry as another demon leapt over the fallen corpse of the last, claws colliding with metal. Dante effortlessly stepped aside of a wide swipe as it landed, and swung his sword in an upwards arc to physically launch the monster into the air. The devil hunter leapt after it, slashing at the Blade's torso repeatedly, hacking into flesh and smashing ribs. The demon somehow recovered with a backflip from one of the blows, and as they flew apart it pointed its claws at Dante, and in a spasm of muscle, fired the bloody spikes at him like daggers. Ebony and Ivory were in the devil hunter's hands faster than the eye could see, shooting the projectiles out of the air with precision shots, then punching into the retreating Blade, further ruining its chest. It landed in a heap and did not get back up.

While Dante and Reiko were dealing with the demons, Arson and Zone had been trying to find a way into the coliseum. The doors required a key artefact to open, which they did not have as it was on the other side of one of two secondary pairs of doors. However, the key to those doors was on the other side of the _island_.

However again, the ship in the courtyard, upturned as it was, was taller than the coliseum's walls. Thus, by scaling it, they had gotten high enough for Arson to leap across into the coliseum, carrying Zone with him. They landed on a stone pathway ringing the structure over the stands. The coliseum was circular, the wide open grassy space that made up most of it dominated by a large blue patterned circle in the middle. A two-levelled stone bridge spanned from one side of the walkway to the other, Arson and Zone equally far from each end. Finally over the centre of the bridge hung a tall stone shaft suspended in the air, defying gravity.

Arson jumped down onto the grass, Zone hopping off of his shoulder. As they neared the blue circle a voice spoke into their minds, "Offer a sacrifice to the coliseum. It shall connect the path to the Wheel of Destiny".

Arson stopped, mulling over the message. Seeing this, Zone decided to offer his own translation services. "I think that's Ancient Creepy Speak for" he put on his best beggar's voice here, "spare some change mister?".

Arson frowned at him. "You shouldn't insult ancient guardian spirits like that" he warned the brash hamster.

"Or what, they'll read me more bad riddles?" Zone replied indifferently.

Arson shook his head and returned to the issue at hand. They required a sacrifice. Canonically Griffon filled the role, but there was no way they would shift the bird's corpse over here. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then inspiration struck. "I have an idea" he told Zone.

They walked along under the bridge to a small room that interrupted the stands. Inside was a swirling purple funnel of energy, which they stepped into, teleporting them up to a room just above at one end of the bridge, on the ringing pathway again. "Snazzy elevator" Zone admitted, then paused, "Hey, you smell something?".

Arson sniffed the air, then turned to Zone, and stifled a giggle. "Um, your uh... You're on fire" he pointed. Zone looked behind himself to see a minor fire thriving on the fur of his rear end. He yelled and frantically tried to beat it out, unleashing a combo of expletives that completely maxed the obscenity gauge. "I warned you not to insult them" Arson said, sympathetically trying not to laugh too much at the rodent's misfortunes.

Once the incident was done with, they returned to where they had entered the coliseum. Arson scrambled up the wall and leaned over it, looking down on Dante and Reiko fighting the Blades. "Hey grampa!" he yelled down to Dante, "Could you send us up one of them?".

Dante paused what he was doing and looked up at him. _Must be for all the birthday and Christmas presents I missed_, he thought to himself. A Blade leapt at him from behind and he spun, using Alastor to uppercut it, launching it skywards. He then Devil Triggered and unleashed a bolt of lightning into the demon, driving it higher. He fired a continuous volley of electricity, forcing it up the side of the building. Once it was within reach Arson grabbed the dazed Blade, saying "Congratulations! This is not a joke, you've been selected!". Zone said something about taking Internet adverts too seriously as the hybrid turned and hurled the lizard.

The demon landed in the centre of the blue circle, and was just starting to rise when the pillar above crashed down through the bridge and into the symbol, pulverising the Blade. "Now _that_ was overkill" Zone laughed.

While this occurred, Dante and Reiko finished off the rest of the Blades, and proceeded to the other major structure flanking the courtyard. Dante made short work of a puzzle, and then approached a pair of flaming gauntlets on a pedestal, which had some writing on it.

"My name is Ifrit.

The fool who awakens me shall pay dearly with the fires of hell."

With that the gauntlets rose and flew apart with an explosion. They circled around Dante separately like two meteors and then hurtled towards him. Dante caught them, and with an effort of will, mastered the weapons.

Now fully-armed, he and Reiko returned to the courtyard to meet up with the other two. Arson had entered the passage opened up by the falling pillar and retrieved the Wheel of Destiny, and with the teleporters out of action, he had thrown it up onto the surrounding pathway, climbed into the stands for elevation, leapt up and then employed a burst of fire to change directions and propel himself higher onto the pathway himself.

Once reunited, they backtracked to the drawbridge. There Arson placed the Wheel into a device designed to receive it, which in a surprisingly flashy manner fired a beam of energy at a symbol beneath the drawbridge, causing it to drop, and they crossed back to the castle.

Inside, it was almost completely dark. Reiko pulled out a flashlight that he had brought along, but despite it having a fresh battery, it didn't work. "Damn, the phones don't function here either" he said after checking.

"Man, I hope we don't lose anonymous reviews too" Arson worried, Dante using Ifrit to provide some light.

Though the castle had physically changed, they were able to take a familiar route through it, luckily meeting no demons, until they reached the place where Dante had found Alastor, a door now in the former dead-end.

They went through into a large cathedral-like room. In the centre was a luminous and reflective puddle, and following Dante's lead, they walked onto it, falling through a moment later. They emerged into a distorted, upside-down reflected reality of the room they had just left, landing on the curved 'ceiling'. Where the real-world counterpart had a broken skylight, there was a hole filled with a whirling vortex, which they entered.

They had now left the mortal plane. Around them the bloody surfaces of the Underworld pulsated, as if they were inside a grotesquely corrupted living body. Dante was unfazed, but the others took a moment to steady their resolve, and they progressed through a passage that fluctuated rhythmically. Their path was blocked by a red membrane but Alastor easily ripped an opening.

This led into a ring-shaped room, another membrane-door on the far side. They began to cross it, when two creatures emerged to either side of the central pillar. They were somewhat humanoid, but also bestial, with wide, strongly-built frames, and formed completely from ice. "Frosts" Reiko whispered, recognising them.

"Let me handle these" Dante said, concerned for their safety rather than arrogant. He punched Ifrit together, approaching one, and leapt over a wave of ice it unleashed before descending towards it with a blazing kick.

The other approached the trio. It shimmered as it came nearer, and then shards of ice were whizzing through the air all around them, the Frost materialising amongst them in a deadly blizzard. Reiko rapidly backed off, knowing how lethal it was. Zone also retreated as his blood ran cold, unable to even _approach_ it without his bodily fluids starting to freeze due to its chilling aura.

But Arson held firm, swords drawn and fiery spirit defiant. The Frost turned on him, and opposing elements collided, steam rising from them as they traded blows.

Dante was in control of his battle, dodging and ducking his opponent's attacks while landing scalding hits in return. In a desperate gambit the wounded demon froze the air around it, encasing itself in a large ice crystal and trying to heal itself. Dante gave it no chance though, and Ifrit hammered down on the cocoon, smashing chunks off and demolishing the shell with relentless impacts. The enraged Frost backed away as it shattered, and then jumped into the air, crashing down towards Dante and causing a massive eruption of ice to explode around it. The devil hunter had already leapt clear though, and landed just outside the ice formation, making his own Inferno, which swept into and eradicated the icy formation, then its creator, evaporating the demon.

Dante turned, expecting to see the other Frost causing problems, but instead discovered Arson was winning. The hybrid jumped forwards and over a salvo of icicles fired by the demon's hand, then as it raised its other arm up for a second barrage, Arson swung his sword down in a blazing arc, severing the limb. The damaged creature tried to retaliate with its remaining arm, but Arson parried and drove both blades into its body from above. He pushed down and focused his energy into the weapons, forcing it to its knees and melting it at the same time, until only a puddle remained. Arson rose, panting but victorious, and Dante nodded approvingly.

Regrouping, they moved on, aware they were nearly at their goal, entering the next room tested but hopeful.

It was then that it happened.

Zone was the first to go as a gelatinous matter seeped up through the floor, the diminutive rodent submerged almost instantly. Reiko tried to pull free, but the substance rose up as if alive and dragged him under. Arson managed to fight it off with blazing slashes until two jaw-like formations surrounded and pulled him down.

Dante was the only one fast and strong enough to escape. He watched the viscous material resolve itself into the demonic bio-weapon, Nightmare. Drawing Alastor, he snarled, "Bad move ugly, you just _pissed me off_".

----

Rising slowly to a stand from the cold, unwelcoming floor, Reiko leaned on his staff, fighting to marshal his disorientated senses to order. He looked around, relieved to see Arson and Zone also picking themselves up.

"Where _are _we?" Arson whispered, the first to speak.

They surveyed their surroundings. The ground was an uneven cracked surface that might have been stone or bone, and was punctuated by irregular deformed columns jutting upwards randomly, protrusions resembling roots forming ridges crossing the ground, some running between structures. The sky was a vile green liquid.

"That, _thing_, that swallowed us... Must have been Nightmare" Reiko said, starting to put the pieces together. "This is a dimension that exists within it, or through it... An evil reflection of reality" the vampire explained.

"Which _part_ of reality, a schoolyard?" Zone asked. Reiko shook his head, and was about to respond when a giant disembodied human skull, easily a metre tall, glided across the floor and swallowed the rodent whole.

"Zone!" Reiko called, trying to catch the apparition, which he knew to be a Sargasso, but it was already out of his reach. He searched for a way to get to it, when the demon slowed and began shaking. Red light shone from its vacant eyes, then a crimson blast erupted from the back of its head, Zone leaping out of the breach.

Reiko turned as he heard a noise behind him. He saw Arson, swords dug into one of the Sargasso like horns, riding it around like a wild bull. "Yee-ha! This is even more fun than the merry-go-round!" Arson whooped. Reiko sighed with endless patience. More attacked, but they proved poor foes and were made short work of.

"kinda anti-climactic..." Zone commented offhandedly.

"Did someone request a climax?" a strangely familiar voice asked. The trio turned towards the source of the question, and a chill ran down their collective backs...


	3. The Good, The Bad And The Stylish

"It's been awhile boys, missed me?" resplendent in a shimmering ruby dress that hugged a fantasy hourglass figure, ocean-blue eyes glinting playfully and long golden hair trailing, Mary Sue approached them, smiling.

"B-but, w-we _killed_ you" Zone stuttered, uncharacteristically shaken by the newcomer's sudden appearance.

"This realm is like a mirror, showing our darkest memories" Reiko, the _deus ex verbum numerus_, explained.

Mary summoned an elegant sword, crimson, gold and ruby-encrusted. "Ready to play?" she asked sinisterly.

The three friends exchanged looks. It was just them against their immortal nemesis. "Yeah... If you're ready to lose _again_" Arson responded on behalf of them all.

With that, the final vestiges of humour left her expression. "Story time's over, _little original characters_, and your lives with it" she promised, and charged the trio.

Arson lunged forwards and scissored his blades together. Mary caught one with hers and twisted it into the second, pushing them to the side as she ducked under Reiko's staff, spinning and kicking Arson in the jaw, sending him flying. She stood and brought her weapon up behind her, flinging the leaping Zone away, then pulled it over her head and down against Reiko's staff. Zone changed directions midair as the vampire was forced to his knees then booted skidding across the ground. The rodent flew high over her and fired a huge blast of energy downwards in a thick crimson pillar, but Mary had already forwards-flipped out of its path.

Arson lunged again with righteously furious swings. "You're only a figment of our imagination!" he cried as their swords collided again and again, matched blow for blow, the floor catching fire under the hybrid's feet.

Mary Sue gave under his next strike, unbalancing Arson as she rolled back, grabbing him and using her foot to launch him over her into one of the towers upside down. "No" Mary Sue replied as she drove her weapon through his stomach and into the pillar behind, "_you _are the figments of imagination, I am part of _everyone_".

She continued pushing it deeper, Arson coughing up blood, until a laser burst made her back away, yanking her sword free and unpinning Arson, who collapsed in a bloody heap. "One day, I'll have my own fandom" Zone said, firing at her continuously, "and you'll get paired with me". His aim was good, but Mary dodged every blast, and taking a risk, he launched himself at her, "On that day, you can literally blow me, bitch!".

Mary Sue slashed out, but Zone used a burst of laser to dodge it, then another to redirect himself at her face, lightsabre raised. He _almost_ landed a hit, but she cartwheeled backwards out of his reach, weapon rising and passing right through him. "_Wrong_. One day, you'll be forgotten, forsaken, _nothing_" Mary Sue replied. Zone landed in two pieces, gasping in voiceless agony, until sapphire energies wove between the halves, reuniting him. He was fully healed, but still felt the trauma of something no being was meant to survive to experience.

Seeing he was still alive, she went to finish him. Her sword descended, and was intercepted by Reiko's staff. She turned on him, the vampire facing a murderous onslaught. Reiko defended with excellent technique, but his endurance had limits, whereas Mary's did not, and she wore him down, then hacked him viciously away.

Reiko rolled across the ground, a brutal slash across his chest. Despite this he had succeeded in buying time, as Arson, badly wounded but still standing, came to his side. Zone did too, having overcome his near-death ordeal. Mary Sue laughed at the rabble meant to oppose her as Arson helped Reiko to stand. The vampire's bloody lips wore a smile though. "Arson, Zone, we've already won. This is just a memory" he said calmly.

Mary Sue's mocking laughter interrupted them. "You've won _nothing_. No matter how many temporary little victories you claim, I am _eternal_, thus sooner or later... Your fall is inevitable" she explained patronisingly.

Reiko brushed off Arson, standing up under his own strength. "Regardless of eternity, nothing is beyond our reach _now_. Not even _you_" he promised, then looked to the others, "united we can conquer this. Remember".

"Memories won't help when you're forgotten" Mary chuckled, raising her sword, which grew and changed, taking on the likeness of an angel's wing, each feather a diamond, with a leading edge of razor-sharp pearl.

"Endless oblivion awaits" she whispered, and exploded forth, intending to slay them all in one mighty blow.

Reiko stood at the front, weapon raised, eyes closed, tranquil and focused. He waited, the wingblade tearing towards him with stone-splitting force. At the _exact_ instant of collision he acted, channelling all the kinetic energy he could muster through the point of contact. The angelic sword recoiled, Mary Sue put off-balance by the impact. The exchange of force went both ways though, and Reiko was flung away with a sonic boom.

In the same moment Zone had launched himself from the ground with a burst of laser, the vampire hurtling beneath him. Taking aim, he unleashed every last ounce of energy in his weapon, the crimson beam striking the wingblade directly over the edge, being split in two but also sending it spinning out of Mary Sue's hand.

A split-second later Arson lunged at the disarmed Mary Sue, driving both of his swords through her middle. He channelled the strength left in him through them, getting thrown back as a fiery explosion consumed her.

"I, am... IMMORTAL!!!" these were Mary Sue's final words as she staggered away, vanishing in a blinding nova. The wingblade landed upright a moment later where she had stood, stuck in the ground, and shattered.

"Immortality is worthless, if you waste the moment" Reiko whispered where he lay, then lost consciousness.

----

Dante's breath condensed in the air as Nightmare gathered energy, intending to freeze the devil hunter with a chilling beam forged of the cries of the dead, half-devil and machine having waged a mutually-exhausting fight. The icy vortex swelled, and was about to erupt forth when Nightmare convulsed, a brilliant explosion deforming the demon-machine as its armour lost cohesion. Several shapes remained as it degenerated into a chaotic mess, most important among them its last remaining core, suspended in the hair. Seizing his chance, Dante Devil Triggered, unleashing a colossal fireball.

Nightmare spasmed wildly as its final core was destroyed, going completely out of control. Scathing beams of light burst from its evaporating mass, ripping across the room as Arson grabbed Zone, who was mired in the machine's gooey matter, and with an unconscious Reiko over his shoulder he leapt clear of the carnage.

When it was over, Dante approached the others. Arson had rested Reiko against some fallen rubble; he was unconscious, but as alive as a vampire ever was. Just then, the ground shook violently. Dante looked to the exit leading further into the Underworld, then at Arson. A silent understanding was shared, and Dante left.

"Wait" Zone said, getting up to follow. He got two steps before losing his balance and falling onto all-fours.

Arson gently picked up the exhausted, headstrong rodent. "We've done our part, Zone" he said, holding him and stroking his back comfortingly, "this is Dante's fandom, and his fight. It's his place to face it, not ours".

----

Brilliant white light poured in from either side between rows of tall, majestic stone pillars that reached up to the high, vaulted ceiling of the vast cathedral. The opposing lines of columns flanked the long approach to a mighty throne of stone, easily ten times a man's height. Everything was wrought of elegant whites and greys.

That throne now was vacant. Dante walked towards it from the huge arched doors at the opposite end of the cathedral. He had just come to a small rise of steps that led up to the area before the throne when there was a flash of light. A kaleidoscopic montage of arcane symbols appeared in the air, increasing in intensity and pace until with a thunderous clap a figure emerged. It landed on the floor, and finally Dante saw his enemy.

He wore a long, majestic purple coat with matching stately trousers, a rich red top visible through the open front. silky white gloves adorned his hands, matching his immaculately combed back white hair. A monocle covered his left eye, in his hand he carried the Force Edge, and around his neck wore the completed Amulet.

Yes, Gary Stu stole the Legendary Dark Knight outfit.

"About time you showed up" Dante said, Alastor over his shoulders as he joined Gary Stu before the throne.

"I could say the same thing" Gary replied. Having been facing the throne until now, he turned, "I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it".

"Whatever" Dante pointed Alastor at him, "now you're here, I believe you have something of mine, and I intend to take it back".

Gary laughed, caressing the Amulet over his chest. "By any means, come get it" he said, raising Force Edge.

"Well then, let's start the show..." was Dante's response, and he charged forwards, demonic swords meeting.

The clash of steel echoed through the cathedral and around the two opponents as they traded blows, Alastor and Force Edge colliding a dozen times each second. The fight moved all around the area before the throne, the struggle of unparalleled intensity. But no matter how hard he tried, Dante couldn't overcome his enemy, and Gary Stu batted aside Alastor, then slashed the devil hunter away with a bloody wound across his chest.

"You cannot prevail without the power of your father, which _I _possess" Gary taunted his kneeling opponent.

Dante simply smirked as he stood. "I'm just warming up" he promised, and drawing Alastor back, he hurled it like an electrified buzzsaw. Gary just laughed, knocking the feeble attack aside with a flick of Force Edge. A split-second later, Dante was right in front of him, Ifrit exploding to life. Raising his fist up, Dante missed as Gary Stu stepped back, but he was then consumed by a pillar of flames that erupted from the floor. Dante leapt up, his body giving off flames, further staggering Gary Stu, and drove down at him with a flaming kick that knocked Force Edge back. He off the impact, Alastor attaching itself to his back as he did so, and Devil Triggering, rocketed down fist-first into Gary, driving him into the floor as an inferno exploded around him.

Reverting to his human state, Dante smirked victoriously, until laughter cut him short. The flames dissipated to reveal Gary intact, one hand holding the devil hunter's gauntleted fist. Before Dante could say a word, the Force Edge was driven through his middle, and he was then flung aside. "Foolishness, Dante" Gary Stu said as he stood, "no matter how powerful or popular you are now you will eventually fade, but I can _never_ die".

Dante tried to stand, but he was still recovering. "Why do you want this fandom if you're so great?" he spat.

Gary Stu approached him, twirling Force Edge. "Once there is no one else left to lead the series, all the fans will have no choice but to worship me, in your father's image" Gary taunted mockingly, lifting Force Edge over his head, intending to split Dante in two down the middle. "This shall be the domain of my immortal reign. I've dealt with your brother and Mundus. Now it's your turn" he said, and Force Edge descended.

There was a sharp sound of impact, and Dante looked up to see his father's sword turned aside at the last moment. Gary Stu looked around in agitation. "What now?" he demanded. Then he looked to the throne.

"I've come to retrieve my fangirls" rising from his kneeling posture on the seat of the throne, Vergil pointed Yamato at Gary, "you can't handle them". Seeing Gary was distracted, Dante delivered a flaming kick to his chest, knocking him away. Vergil leapt from the throne of the Underworld, landing besides his twin brother.

"Well look who decided to show up. I thought you were defeated" Dante observed with casual nonchalance.

Vergil glanced sideways at him. "A temporary setback. One I believe you experienced as well" he reminded his younger brother. Turning his attention back to Gary Stu he added "I think it's time we settled the score".

"Stubborn cockroaches. Very well, I'll exterminate you both _at once_" Gary Stu promised, his face betraying aggravation, and the three combatants charged together. A furious battle of blades was fought, moving to the area between the pillars; alone the sons of Sparda had been beaten, but combined they were a force to be reckoned with, even for Gary Stu. With an enraged yell Gary lashed out, Force Edge striking Alastor and forcing Dante to kneel. A moment later Vergil leapt; Yamato knocked Force Edge aside, then slashed again.

There was a glassy tinkle as two halves of a perfectly bisected monocle hit the floor. Gary Stu's eyes, now both fully visible, burned with rage. "Don't think this is over, you haven't seen _anything_ yet" he promised.

With that, amethyst energy exploded from his body, forming a solid, swirling pillar of light around him. The column vanished a second later, and both Dante and Vergil were taken aback. Standing before them was the daunting image of their father in his true demonic form. Force Edge had changed too, becoming the Sparda.

"Now you meet your maker" Gary said, voice bestial.

The sons of Sparda exchanged looks, and they both Devil Triggered as well. Dante jumped up while Vergil rushed forwards. He drew Yamato in an upwards arc that deflected the Sparda, then reversed its direction, the katana soaring down directly onto Gary Stu's head, which didn't budge an inch. A giant claw wrapped around Vergil's face, picking him up, and a sphere of energy engulfed his head as Gary launched him flying into one of the pillars on a sphere of destruction, Vergil hitting it so hard he stayed embedded in the stone.

A bolt of lightning seared Gary's chest, making him flinch slightly. He turned as more struck, seeing Dante hovering in the air with demonic wings, hurling electricity at him. He leapt, spinning through the air like a drill, the bolts deflecting harmlessly off of him now. His giant, horned head crashed into Dante's hardened torso, winding him, and Gary grabbed the half-devil and threw him crashing into the pillar opposite Vergil.

Landing between them, Gary drew the Sparda from his back. The blade transformed into a giant scythe, and he hurled it like a boomerang, the weapon flying round the room and smashing through the pillar Dante was stuck in, then Vergil's one, leaving them both lying in the debris as it returned to Gary Stu's hand. "Now I'll _end_ this" Gary Stu spoke in his inhuman voice, gathering energy in his hands, preparing to finish them both.

Multiple blasts erupted around Gary. He paused, irritated, looking for their source. He found it by the doors.

The newcomer released the smoking, empty multi-cylinder RPG launcher from his shoulder. He was darkly-dressed, with a black leather jacket over a dark top with two sling-straps over it, dark leather trousers with a gunslinger's belt and black boots. A calm but serious face was visible on pale skin between chin-length hair.

"Hade, how did you get here?" Dante asked as attempted to rise from the rubble, recognising the mercenary.

"Reiko called begging for my help" Hade replied with a slight grin. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was _murder_" he wasn't joking, having crossed the island to get there. He tossed a glowing object to Vergil, "Brought a gift".

As Vergil caught it Gary snarled. "Very well, you are next to die" he declared, and rushed at the mercenary.

Hade drew a pair of handguns and opened fire. Armour-piercing bullets that would punch a normal demon clean off the ground deflected ineffectually off Gary as he charged. The Sparda extended, and Hade's eyes widened as it ran through his torso. He was raised like a trophy, then discarded to one side contemptuously.

Dante ran to him, but Vergil, who was closer, caught his shoulder. "You can't help him now" he told him, a golden glow enveloping Hade's body. He'd had the sense to bring a Yellow Orb, which would preserve his life until he was healed. Vergil turned to Gary Stu, pointing at him. "You're going down" he stated, and his pointing hand, the other and both feet were covered by the light-elemental gauntlets and greaves, Beowolf.

Ifrit flared on Dante's hands as the twins rushed Gary Stu. Vergil got there first, and swung his leg up in an arc of light, catching the descending Sparda using his foot. He twisted and brought his other leg up, kicking the blade back as Dante joined in. The sons of Sparda went to war, the combined raw power of Beowolf and Ifrit enough to compete with their father's mighty sword. Gary Stu was still a lethal opponent, but now they were causing damage as well as taking it, their punches and kicks slowly wearing their powerful foe down.

Finally the chance came. Vergil leapt up, spinning end-over-end to rain a succession of kicks down against the Sparda, finally knocking it aside and hammering a foot against their foe's skull. Gary shunted him away with his head, but as he did Dante delivered a rapid series of flaming blows to his body, ending with a kick to the chin that snapped his head up, and Vergil, having recovered midair, drove his foot right into his face. Gary staggered away and Dante launched a massive fireball, smashing into his chest and driving him back.

"You will not forget this devil's power" Vergil promised, reaching for Yamato as Dante drew Alastor. The elder brother vanished and Dante flew forwards on demonic wings, spinning rapidly and drilling into Gary. Distortions appeared in the air around him, the unseen Vergil slashing at their foe as they forced him back.

Gary Stu's back pressed against the base of the throne, and a colossal explosion rocked the cathedral. Dante and Vergil were hurled back, reverting to their human forms and landing on their knees, both their coats and Dante's top destroyed, raising their fangirl rating to maximum. Dante looked up as something landed before him: his half of the Amulet. He looked over to see Vergil securing his part around his neck and did likewise.

"What have you DONE?!" Gary yelled. He was in Sparda's human form again, and bloody and roughed up.

The sons of Sparda stood, breathing heavily, badly injured themselves. "Dude, the show's _over_" Dante said.

"_Return my power_!!!" Gary screamed, raising Force Edge, and for the last time, the three warriors charged...

Dante and Gary Stu stood opposed, Alastor and Force edge in perfect equipoise, tip to tip. Legs giving way, Dante fell to his knees, and Gary smirked. "I'll never die..." he said, then stopped as blood ran from his lips.

"Don't get so cocky" Vergil spoke, stood behind Gary and facing away from him, holding Yamato extended to the side. His stance relaxed, Gary's eyes widening. Vergil gracefully resheathed Yamato. Gary collapsed.

"Sweet dreams" Dante bid him goodbye.

Gary Stu screamed incoherently, ascending into the air and disappearing in a golden-heliotrope supernova...

----

Arson helped Reiko along, Zone following behind, unable to help for obvious reasons. Having finished their part in matters, they had decided to head home, and were currently moving through the real-world cathedral.

A bubbling sound stopped them. They turned to the puddle leading to the mirror realm. Spluttering sickly, it regurgitated the broken Gary Stu, Sparda's image falling away to reveal his featureless, true form. Retching, he looked up and saw them. "What have I done wrong?" he wheezed at their accusing looks, "I wished to be a God, and for that I sacrificed one miserable female lead. That is all. Was that really so awful? Help me...".

Reiko shook his head slowly, tugging on Arson to keep walking. "You are nothing but original characters, characters the _fans_ created!" Gary Stu's pleading turned to rage, "I was going to be the king of this world!".

Arson frowned sadly, and he turned away to help Reiko along, leaving only Zone watching. "I will return..." Gary screeched hoarsely, "and I will rule this world!".

The hamster's face split into a smirk. "_Wrong_ answer!" he responded, and raising his laser, he ended it there.

The deed done, the trio turned to depart, but Reiko seemed pensive. "Is something wrong?" Arson enquired.

Reiko mused. Resolving the chaos Gary had caused was something Dante and Vergil would deal with. They would take care of Hade, too, but he still felt he was forgetting something. "Nothing" he gave up, shrugging.

----

Pushing a broom around the Devil May Cry offices, Keahi grumbled, "I _cannot believe_ Reiko stood me up".


End file.
